Tell ACOG about your HOME BIRTH

ACOG has a new database to collect anonymous data on "unsuccessful home births.":

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is concerned that recent increases in elective home delivery will result in an increased complication and morbidity rate. Recent reports to the office indicate our members are being called in to handle these emergencies and in some instances have been named in legal proceedings. To attempt to determine the extent of the problem, a registry of these cases will be maintained at ACOG on a year-by-year basis.

If you have been called to attend, whether in the emergency room, operating room or labor and delivery suite, a patient who came to your hospital after an unsuccessful attempt at elective home delivery, please complete the following survey even if there was no adverse outcome. Include only current events after June 15, 2009.

Let's derail their plans and flood the database with entries on SUCCESSFUL home births!

It will take less than five minutes, but having even 25 people do it will send a loud and clear message and may force them to take it down due to bad data. At the very least we can force it into the members-only area, where far fewer OBs will bother to fill it out.

Below is information about how to fill out the categories-- you have to check each one except for the very last or the form won't go through.

Please base the information on your most recent home birth (although you will be limited to checking June, July or August of 2009 for the birth date because of how the database is set up):

* State

* Choose a month (June, July or August) for your baby's delivery and 2009 for the year

* Gravida: (# of times you've been pregnant)

* Para: (# babies youâve had who were born after 20 weeks)

* Maternal Age

* Gestational Age: (number of weeks pregnant you were when your baby was born)

* Problem: Please check OTHER and type in: Healthy baby born at HOME!

* Fetal Outcome: Please check: Successful delivery!

* Pre-Arrival length of labor: give the overall length of your labor (you can't leave it blank or it kicks you back)

* Home Attendant: Please check: *CPM *even if you had a DEM (the only other choice is "untrained"). [You can also choose CNM if that is the certification your midwife has and even an MD if you had a home birth with a doctor (some in MO and IL do!).]

* The final question to prevent accidental duplication is optional.

Thanks for taking a few moments to do this action. It's quick, easy and best of all-- messes with their plans!

Replies to This Discussion

I'm sure I'm stating the obvious, but the big problem I see with the approach the ACOG is taking, is that it only collects data on complications and transfers. I would love to see someone document all the successful home births and then compare the data.

I can't believe this - how does the ACOG think that this is going to improve relationships between Ob/Gyns and midwives?!? When are they going to start doing REAL research on the safety of homebirth? Furthermore, isn't this going to make midwives reluctant to transfer when necessary? They ACOG doesn't give a nickel about whether moms and babies are dying - they're just LOOKING for an excuse to suggest that all women should be seeing an OB/Gyn if they're pregnant, regardless of whether they are a low-risk patient or not! I'm unimpressed

Marci, they aren't looking to improve anything. ACOG is the same as a trade union, so their only interest is themselves. We have all given their membership organization way too much power. It's up to us to take it away.

Now, in honor of their new guideline that "relaxes" the no drinking in labor policy, what's say women across America send them a bottle of water? I'd love to flood their office with our voices! I also fantasize all home birth moms sending them a pizza... (since they often say that home deliveries are for pizza!).